Famed chat mod slowreactor opens up to CC, as he answers the questions CC put to him. The cook is now in full color, and the freestyle gets you singing as they remix Rollin'. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas for the new General Achievement Medals for Tournaments policy, the tournament team has come to help. The foundry is kept shiny as the team keeps you updated on all happenings and neutral turns killer. The clan team takes an in-depth look into the Conqueror's Cup Semi final match: TOFU vrs KORT.

As promised we have an exciting contest for you this week involving Conquer Club Crossword that was launched last issue

The final touches are being put on the contest as we speak so we can't actually release all the details in this issue. However, within 48hrs of the release of this issue we will send out the contest details to everyone in the Subscribers Group via PM! If you aren't in the group yet Subscribe Here for your chance to earn yourself a general achievement medal!

NOTE: The contest also contains clues to our next special event here on Conquer Club!

If you would like to apply to join the news team, please visit the thread below for more details!

Welcome to the Freestyle section. Here you can find out how chatty chat mod slowreactor really is. And welcome to our new reporters. TheSaxLad offers up his first article while Pie12345 is still busy in the kitchen.

Now I know y'all be lovin this map right here.F.E.U.D-al War is right here.People in my game, don't you drop your men there, Because if you deploy there, then I'll deploy there!!1, 2, 3, rounds gettin' cards quick, hoping for that fix of red/green/blue mixed.So where in the fog you at punk, shut the f*** up and back your men up while I f*** this map up

CHORUS

You wanna mess with my map? (yeah)You can't mess with my map (why?)Because I always win, every game and every time (oh)And this gold medal thing right here (yeah)Yo, I'm gettin' it all the time (what)So you better get some better tacticsand-a some more game time (dough?).I got a green set so I wont complain yet24-7 never begging for a rematch.Old school soldier blastin' out of AussieSo I see you got a stack on Nairobi

CHORUS

Hey captains, hey majors, and the people that dont have no luckAll the cadets, all the cooks, all the privates who call themselves playersHot streaker, CAPS speaker and the a$$es that deadbeat on your teams' turnquick rollers, forum trollers, and everybody all around 2.1 World......

Hi Guys. My Name’s The Saxlad. I’m The New Boy. Not Newtonboy! I might be around for a bit longer (just kidding!). I suppose that makes me the tea-boy. Hmm, Nagerous’s Tea Boy. Might stick, although it’d have to be virtual tea, which isn’t really as nice as real tea. Mmm tea...

Anyway I’m here to say the usual. It’s lovely being here. No seriously it is. Ever since I have joined (Which I grant you is about a month...) I have wanted to be a part of the newsletter, and here I am. Anyway, when I joined Nagerous sent me on a mission. A mission to the furthest place known to man, and CC’ers.... The Archive Room! There I toiled through pages of old newsletters and articles written by the freestyle team. (It’s a hard knock life...) and I came across an alarming discovery. Over the past years CC must have slaughtered and forcefully ripped the tails of over 100 Newts in this section, (well how else could they have got those tails, seriously trying to get a tail off a live newt doesn’t bear thinking about.) All these newts slaughtered for the writing’s of Elfish_Lad, nagerous and others... So now I’m here I am going to put a stop to it! Well almost. To be honest I probably won’t be able to stop them from doing it... I’ll just go back to making the tea then.

Q: How quickly do you think I'd be able to beat you in a 1v1 game of Starcraft? (Army of God)

A: You did NOT just ask that question. Back in the day, I used to love ling-rushing, and I got it down to the point where I could kill you in under 5 minutes, under 3 on a good run. I don’t know how well I can do that now, but you can go ahead and try me.

Q: In less than 50 words, convince me to go on CC chat.

A: IMO it’s the best way to actually communicate with your teammates about any given game, whether it be just about overall strategy or the next move, since anything anyone says is in real-time, unlike just posting in game chat.

Q: How do you juggle CC, modding, and college life?

A: Well considering I haven’t started college yet (will this Fall) I honestly don’t know. I just hope that I can get all my schoolwork done every day and still have plenty of time for CC.

Q: Is there a specific reason Erie, PA sucks so much? Have there been any scientific studies done to determine how much it sucks?

A: If only someone actually DID do a survey on the population to see how much they disliked Erie... all joking aside, it’s not that bad. The worst thing about it is just the weather, the fact that a foot of snow is common in the winter.

Q: What's your real name?

A: That’s for me to know and you to just wonder

Q: If you could be one person in the history of the world, who would you want to be and why?

A: This question really got me thinking, and I actually changed my answer for this several times. If I could be 1 person in the history of the world, it would have to be the person who found out mushrooms were edible, so I can make sure that they won’t exist in any menus in our modern world.

Q: Can you triforce?

A: Don’t get me started on this subject, as I can go on for hours about just Zelda. I currently own every single game that’s come out in one version or another (though I can’t find the GBC games). So the answer is yes, I can Triforce.

Q: Can you tell me what your thoughts are about your internet connection and this game... Game 4602677??

A: Internet connection: it’s good that I only have to survive 1 more month on this horrible connection that gives me over 1000 ping and a very low download limit (7.5gigs)That game: looks like the first game I played with you, I was much more immature then, although in my defense you did trick me

Q: As a chat mod how do you restart chat when chat goes dead?

A: Magic… ooooooh…

Q: How did he manage to get five 5s on his AP tests this year while still being on CC constantly?

A: Simple. I do nothing but study in school (where CC is blocked) and when I come home I either cruise on CC and other games, or just run out with friends.

Q: How do you feel about the "Zerg(ling) Rush?"

A: See answer to first question.

Q: Favorite food?

A: Ketchup-flavored potato chips (this is not a joke).

Q: Favorite band/artist?

A: This is always one of the hardest questions, but I’m a classic rock guy, so probably Kansas/Styx/KISS/etc. It’s really hard to pick just one.

Q: If one of those were to disappear off the face of the earth, which one would you want to keep?

A: My potato chips

Q: As a slowreactor, will I be able to punch you in the face and run before you do anything?

A: How’d you hear about that? Boy this is embarrassing…

Q: I wasn't aware there were more people on CC that are ok with telling people they live in PA. Now that I know this, Why have you not gone to any of the Risk Tourneys held there?

A: Oh boy, am I in trouble…Well, I just started driving late last year, which means I couldn’t have gone to any other tournies before that. My college will be about 3 hours from where the next tournament is going to be hosted, so if I can hitch a ride with anybody else going down there then I will go to the next one.

Q: When do you think the Conquer Club Dispatch will interrogate me?

A: When they get around to it.

Q: How’s sc2?

A: (SC2 = Starcraft 2) About time someone asked this question. I’ve been waiting for this game for several years now, and I’ve had it preordered for almost as long. The game is amazing. The campaign has shown a new depth level that few other strategy games can match, and it literally draws you in. Being a big Starcraft fan, it felt new and familiar at the same time.

Q: Are you adopted?

A: Nope.

Q: Do you still believe that you will never drink at school because you will have too much work to do?

A: I somehow doubt that now, since I’ve just received news that my dorm is the most social dorm on campus.

Q: Who is your favorite SC player (pre- and post scandal)?

A: Oh boy – you are going to hit me for this, but I’ve never kept track of the competitive scene, so I honestly don’t know any of the players.

Q: Name me one item that is always in your fridge.

A: Orange Juice.

Q: What is the "niftiest CC trick" that you know?

A: Honestly, BOB. Get it. It’s the single most useful tool for the game.

Q: What other questions should I ask you?

A: Any questions that you feel necessary to ask.

Q: What are the 3 best - and 3 worst - things about being a chat mod? (C'mon, give us the goods )

A: 3 best: You get a cool color, you get to help out a lot, and you get a brand-new experience.3 worst: You get more hate mail, you… boy that’s actually all I find is bad.

Q: Why do you love Hive and is this your favorite map and if it isn't, will it get jealous when it sees this question?

A: I definitely like Hive. A lot of people don’t have the patience for it, or blank when they see it, but I find it a fun map to play simply because there’s so much you can do on it, no one strategy dominates. However, it’s not my favorite map. My absolute favorite would have to be Poison Rome.

Q: What are your favorite settings to play, and why? What is least favorite, and...yes again, why?

A: I’m mainly slow because of my horrible lag, which I’ve had for over 3 years now. I’ll finally be rid of it in a month.

Q: Do you believe in the use of tactical nuclear weapons?

A: In real life? No.In CC and other games such as Starcraft? Yes, especially in Starcraft where you can infiltrate your opponent’s base and wipe it out with just a few well-placed nukes.

Q: Why aren't you on chat as much as we (maybe just me) wished you were?

A: If you’re talking about the last few weeks, then it’s because it’s been pretty hectic. First, my internet goes down for about a week, then Starcraft 2 comes out just as I get it back so I spent quite a few hours there. I just came back from a vacation in DC yesterday, but I’m back in full force, so expect to see me much more now.

Q: Could you give us some more background information about your life and how you came to be a mod on cc.

A: Well, I live in Erie, PA (as stated on my profile) I’ll be going to Cornell this fall. I’m a gamer, if you can’t tell by my responses above. As for being a mod, I just spent a lot of time on live chat, participated, and helped out, and eventually I was approached and was asked if I wanted to be a mod.

Q: Nothing personal but if I remember correctly you're in/preparing for you first year of college? What are you studying and how interesting is it?

A: I’m going to be a freshman in college this fall, and I’ll be majoring in computer science. I’m a big fan of technology so I think this will be pretty interesting to study.

Q: Then also, regarding CC. When did you start out and what memories do you have of your starting days with CC? Which clans have you been in and are in currently? What are your interactions like with the other chat mods and other members of the CC community? Who are your best friends on CC and why?

A: Well, I started out January of last year. Me and my friends have always loved to play the board game, and one day one of my real-life friends (Johnohue) found this site and introduced me to it. I was hesitant at first since it didn’t seem that interesting, but eventually I just got pulled into it.As for clans, I was originally in EE, but after about a year, I left and joined EMPIRE, which I am in right now.

Q: Do you like penguins?

A: I’ve seen March of the Penguins, and that’s enough to make me feel really sorry for those little guys.

Q: If you could make one person on cc your rl brother or sister...who would it be?

A: nemrehs1.

Q: Who is on your foe list?

A: None. It’s been that way for awhile now, I just don’t see the purpose of having to foe people anymore.

Q: Hottest live chat regular? Male and female.

A: Male: #1_stunna. Hands-down, you can’t beat him.Female: this is a lot tougher, hard to pick just one… I would say maybe clapper011/InsomniaRed/stahrgazer/

Once again, the tournament team brings you a full article with all you need to know about tournaments. The 'News from the Front' gives you another complete TPA update, including an interview with resent tournament winner. Amazzony continues her Medals and Tournaments article series with a look into General Achievement Medals in Tournaments. jrh_cardinal makes his debut with an article about the recent Tournament Contest and will provide a full update on the results next issue. Finally, amazzony provides a lucid look into the new Tournaments open for sign ups and revels a little about the way her crazy mind works.

Now Enlisting:The First Open Centum Invitational hosted by Sir. RiccoSir. Ricco gets you to do things by the 100s. 100 players, 100 different maps, 100 games for each player, but only one winner!

Field Reports:Musical Chairs: Eastern Hemisphere Tour hosted by keiths31Game 3 of the finals has been started, Game 7418233. Bones2484 (T-17th on the TPA Scoreboard), kratos644 (T-17th on the TPA Scoreboard), benga (T-33th on the TPA Scoreboard), and killmanic (4th on the TPA Scoreboard) are all that remain of the tournament.

Smiert Spionen The James Bond Tournament hosted by barterer2002The finals have started and benga, sonicsteve, SirSebstar, phantomzero, I_AM_BOGEY, J_A, dtellis, and Eddy_26 make up the final group. Richard Sorge (SirSebstar) (T-17th on the TPA Scoreboard), Tyler Kent (dtellis)(T-55th on the TPA Scoreboard), and Simon Templar (phantomzero) (T-33th on the TPA Scoreboard) all have one assassination.

Anarchy in the Hive hosted by Jace22Round 2 is underway. killmanic (4th on the TPA Scoreboard) remains and looks to gain so points over his opponents on the TPA scoreboard.

LxDx Bartertown hosted by LindaxThe finals will be started soon. Bones2484 (T-17th on the TPA Scoreboard) & Timminz (49th on the TPA Scoreboard) will face barterer2002 (T-13th on the TPA Scoreboard) & Lindax (T-55 on the TPA Scorebroad) for the title.

Master of Assassin [TPA Major Event] hosted by poptartpsycho18Round 2 is underway. All the top 5 TPA players, HighlanderAttack, Zivel, crbluth, killmanic, and adam666, still remain.

Battle Results:Speed Terminator IV - Emancipation Day hosted by DJ Teflon HighlanderAttack has won the tournament. Pushing him up to first place in the TPA scoreboard. josko.ri came in 2nd, and evilkingjay came in 3rd.

Interviews:An interview with HighlanderAttack about the Speed Terminator IV - Emancipation Day hosted by DJ Teflon provided by jrh_cardinalQ: Do you like the idea of speed tournaments?I love the idea--I just wish I could run one that works--maybe I will try today--the biggest issue I have with speed tourneys is I want to post it--fill it--and start running it within an hour. I would want to run the same time slot every week. To do this I need a tourney director to grant privis within that hour of sign ups and I need players to participate. DJ has been the only one to plan a speed tourney and make it happen. I must give him great props for making these happen.Q: Was this the first time you participated in one?I have been in one or two others--don't remember with all the tourneys that I have been in. This of course was my first speed tourney win.Q: Would you join another?Heck yea--in fact I signed up for DJ's next one before he even finished posting all the reply threads for his tourney (sorry DJ).

An interview with DJ Teflon about the Speed Terminator IV - Emancipation Day provided by jrh_cardinalHow did the tournament go and do you have any plans for possible future speed tournaments?As is always the case, for a speed tournament isn't easy. This time though we got 18 players without much trouble.

Once we got going though, the tournament was probably the most fun speed tournament I have run. Thanks to Lindax's suggestion, I tried to incorporate extra rounds and have more players qualifying from one stage to the next. This meant lots of players played more games.

I also introduced some base-style maps (I usually stick to small maps for quick games). This was pretty successful, especially as I won two of the games .

On the learning side, a bit of a hiccup by me ( ) meant the tournament ran over time a touch. I could have also saved a little time by having three 4-player games in the second round, as opposed to two 6-player games. However, the players were all a patient understanding bunch.

There will certainly be more tournaments coming soon. I've run two speed terminators recently so it'll be time for a speed assassin next, on Saturday 28 August. Players can sign-up in this thread.

I am hoping to work with other TOs to get plenty of speed tournaments going, including a speed league which will be fun. This will hopefully start next month and last 6 to 8 weeks initially.

Please can anybody interested in participating, organizing or co-organizing speed tournaments post their interest in this thread?

I have also created an advice thread for TOs considering running a speed tournament, and there will be more developments soon. Watch this space ...

As mentioned in the previous issue, this time I will look a bit deeper into General Achievement Medals [GAM] and handing them out in tournaments. If you are not familiar with the topic then check out Issue 33 of the Newsletter or take a look at the General Achievement Medals Policy which was announced a few weeks ago.

According to Lindax (Tournament Director in charge of General Achievement Medals), the first GAM was offered to Elijah S for his CARTOON SMACKDOWN! tournament. "If I remember correctly Elijah asked for a second tournament medal and I offered him the option of a General Achievement Medal instead," said Lindax. "Andy [AndyDufresne] had expressed in the TeamCC forums that lack [lackattack] wanted more General Achievement (then Contest) and General Contribution medals handed out. I think the first medal was my idea, inspired by the aforementioned posts. After checking with Night Strike and (then still administrator) Optimus Prime, we decided to go ahead with it." Though, the first player who received that kind of Medal was actually Chariot of Fire in TLO 2009 II where he was voted Most Valuable Player by other players in the tournament (medal handed out March 21, 2010), first ever promised Medal was given to MyTurnToWin on April 14, 2010 for Elijas' Smackdown! tournament.

So far (August 4, 2010) around 16-18 Medals have been asked and 15 of those have been granted. According to Lindax, 10 Medals were asked before the announcement and 5 after the announcement. All kind of sports tournaments seem popular for the medal. jricart asked a Medal for the winning team of his JRT's-2010 Formula 1 Championship and he has added a Pit-Stop Challenge to include some depth to the Formula theme. Night Strike's 2010 Sprint Cup Series also gives a Medal to an All-Star Race game winner which consists of the 8 players who gathered the most wins in the tournament. dowian2's 2009-10 College Hoops rewarded the winner of NIT (consolation playoffs), ga7, with a General Achievement Medal. jrh_cardinal wishes to give a GAM to the player with the best win percentage at the All Star Break in his JRH's Full 2010 MLB Season and sonicsteve hands out one for High Jump winner and another to Javelin event winner in Sonic's Decathlon. Sports tournaments seem to take approximately half of the currently given out G.A. Medals but there are other types also represented. One of the biggest endeavors is definitely barterer2002's TPA which at the end of season 1 gives the top 3 a Medal. Some other tournaments represented are Kinnison's Powers of Three [TPA] (reason: first player who wins every game of one category in a single round), jakewilliams's Escalating Eight SSSCE (player with the most eliminations) and amazzony's Cookie Battle (Player of the loser side who baked the most cookies in round 1).

General Achievement Medals don't seem to be overly popular yet but like with everything new, it takes time before people get used to them and hopefully a lot of ideas for Medals will start coming out from the minds of you all. Like said by Lindax:"Come on guys, I know the creativity is there! Let's see some General Achievement Medals in your tournaments!"

The newest addition to the Tournament Director team, Tupence, is living up to his task of coming up with new and interesting Tournament Contests. The Independence Day! Contest is smoothly up and running. Entrants in this contest had to think up an interesting tournament idea that relates to the American Independence Day, and post their idea in the contest thread. After all entries were received, the Tournament Directors were supposed to make a short list of the entries, then allow the public to vote for their favorite. The person that came up with the winner would then run their tournament and receive a General Contribution Medal when it was completed.

However, all of the entries were spectacular. All nine entrants created fabulous tournament ideas, all capturing a key part of American Independence Day. Because of this, the Tournament Directors have decided to keep all nine tournaments up for voting, and the three entries with the most votes will now receive General Contribution Medals.

Next issue we will have a complete story on the winners and their tournaments.

"Join This? Or Not!" will be completely unprofessional, biased and subjective view on Create/Join a Tournament forums and what can be found in there. My wish is to highlight the star tournaments that are recruiting for players, but on my bad day I might just hammer down a tournament just for the kicks of it (naah, there will be reason for that). So, lets hope that I end up writing these things on my brighter days and all you lazy less-lifers out there will go and join a tournament thanks to this.

I admit, I wanted to be nasty today but the forums seem to be full of nice ideas so I'll introduce you some of them and after that you better run off and find some mates to join you because I'll start with team tournaments. But wait, not with typical team tournaments (which there's plenty right now) but something where an extra twist has made the tournament a bright gem.

CC Dodgeball Tournament by Yojimbo28 is one of those interesting 1v1 tournaments mixed with quad games. And if you don't care about anything else then think what a nerd you were in school and how you can have your virtual revenge now. Alright, you weren't a nerd and you don't like 1v1.

In that case I'll send you towards caymanmew's Mini hockey season tournament which is one of a few attempts in CC to have a pre-tournament draft plus you can play a lot of team games with random dudes and dudettes.

And finally, if the talk about team (and 1v1) tournaments has made you pull out your hair then here's.... Well, then you are going to be disappointed this time because my final recommendation is for fusibaseball's 1v1 bracket tournament for some guy George Steinbrenner. Why this? Because.... Well, I want to win it and it seems easy enough for me to do well in it. Thank you for your support to help me win!

Hope you found something fun to join!

Hi everyone! Today we have all kinds of candy for the Foundry Followers. Although this issue brings sad news of thenobodies80 leaving the newsletter, the sadness is alleviated by his last article - an interview of the mapmaking legend cairnswk. We also have interesting news, reports on maps - including a very extensive Spotlight... well, read on -Teh Executive Newsmonkey N.D

New cartographer: MarshalneyOur news team is succesfully infiltrating the cartography team: Marshalney has joined the boys in blue and will be helping Evil DIMwit and Iancanton moderating the Gameplay Workshop. He will also continue working in the newsletter.

Congratulations to Marshalney, who will definitely make a good addition to the cartography team.

Good bye thenobodies80A long time contributor and former team leader of the Newsletter Foundry team, thenobodies80 has stepped down from newsletter duties to pursue new challenges. The Foundry team is sad to see him go but offers a huge thank you for everything he has done for the newsletter.

With nobodies going, the Newsletter will have an opening for anyone who is interested in maps and the Foundry. Send a PM to natty_dread if you want to apply for the Foundry team.

CC Map Surveyors FormedA new usergroup has been formed to keep the community abreast of developing maps that are near to making the vital transition from one forum to another. All members will get a PM informing them when a map is 'under review' by the Foundry for promotion to the next step. Map Surveyors will also get any important bulletins coming out of the Foundry. The usergroup is open to anyone, so join the Map Surveyors now to get the latest Cartography scoop before it becomes old news.

Awards for Foundry FolksOne month ago, Forza AZ, Tacktix, yeti_c, chipv, and gimil were recognized for their efforts in the Foundry with General Contribution Medals. They are all long-established Foundry regulars, and very deserving for their service:

Forza AZ was recognized for his service to the Foundry and for looking over the XML code of developing maps.Tacktixwas honored for his outstanding contributions to this very Foundry Newletter.Yeti_C was commended for devoloping mapmaking tools, writing a tutorial & for dedicated support to the Foundry.Chipv was awarded for writing the extremely handy XML wizard, which helps mapmakers code the gameplay.Gimil was lauded for creating website graphics, specifically the forum and topic icons.

Congratulations to all of them, and many thanks for making CC a inviting site where people can gather to conquer the world together

Woodsboro Officially on the AirAfter a few adjustments, Evil Dimwit's Woodsboro map has crackled out of Beta. Developed as a "conquest" map, players each start with a radio station and seek to gain a hold over neutral sponsors and listeners. Woodsboro also boasts several unusual features, such as a killer neutral antenna that 'broadcasts' (teleports) troops to the middle, and a fixed minimum of 2 troops per player with no territory bonus. So Tune In, conquerors, Tune On and Take Over. And goooood morning, Woodsboro! Brought to you by the creator of Dooble Earth, making good ideas come to life.

Macedonia Breezes to QuenchAnother elegant geography map has made it to quench, as CC gradually extends its gallery to cover the globe. n.n.'s depiction of modern-day Macedonia splits the country into 42 regions comprising 9 bonus areas, plus an extra bonus for the 'lake' regions. Speaking from personal experience, the gameplay seems quite balanced and straightforward. Congratulations to n.n. for this excellent addition to medium-sized maps!

Napoleonic Europe Advances to BetaFollowing the success of Third Crusade, Kabanellas has teamed up with Raskholnikov to tackle another momentous epoch of European history- the Napoleonic Wars. Take on the role of the Coalition nations, or fight for L'Empereur at the helm of the French nation. A complex and ambitious map, Napoleonic Europe even includes naval battles. Beautiful artwork graces the legends, making this map a must-see for players who like intricate gameplay. Legibility and clarity issues held this map up for some time, but the long-awaited epic is finally available in Beta. Best of luck and congratulations to Kab and Rask!

New maps - Design brief submitted:Volatile Earth by initus, skillfusniper33 A map featuring the lava currents of the earth in its youth. Moved to Gameplay.Central Asia: Struggle for oil by Raskholnikov, pamoa A map of near-future oil wars in Central Asia. Moved to Gameplay.Baseball by Evil DIMwit A baseball map from the maker of Doodle & Woodboro. Aims to mimic baseball dynamics in terms of a CC map.

Map ShowroomWant to comment on a map? Click map name to visit it's development thread!

The conquer 500Author(s):dolomite13Map style: MixedMap size: LargeForum: GameplayDevelopment status: Our very own dolomite13 is making another map with a novel subject for a CC map. This map features a car race, with 8 competing racing teams, and two separate playing areas - the actual track and the pit crews. It is an unusual but interesting concept, and dolomite has made a good job designing a gameplay to reflect the theme of the map.

Being a CC map, it's not just a matter of driving around the course as fast as you can, of course... you can sabotage other teams, while trying to maintain your own team's car in a pristine condition. Pit crews are one of your most valuable assets... if you lose them you'll never get them back so take good care of your crew.

Currently the map is under final review for the gameplay stamp, and is actually likely be in the Graphics Workshop by the time this is published.

MexicoAuthor(s):MrBenn & fumandomuerteMap style: StandardMap size: MediumForum: GameplayDevelopment status: MrBenn and Fumandomuerte's new map aims to fill another hole in the CC geography; Mexico. A fairly standard gameplay with some additional features, this map represents the old-school classical gameplay so many of us enjoy. With a fairly accurate representation of today's Mexico, and a clean visual style, the mapmakers are following the tried-and-true method for creating a fun gameplay experience.

Currently, the mapmakers are open for any gameplay ideas - although the general layout has been worked out, the smaller details of the gameplay dynamics are now being finetuned... current discussion revolves around general balancing of the bonuses and possible addition of features like bombardments.

CyprusAuthor(s):thenobodies80Map style: StandardMap size: SmallForum: GraphicsDevelopment status: While we're on the subject of filling holes in CC geography... Thenobodies is plugging his finger in another one with this neat representation of modern day Cyprus. The map reflects the current political situation of Cyprus with gameplay features while keeping it simple and not filling the map with unnecessary gimmicks.

Not often do we see small maps with such interesting dynamics. Cyprus has been divided in two by the Turks and Greeks, and the gameplay reflects this division with separate bonus systems for each side and a bottleneck which hinders the movement between the two sides. The british military is also represented on the map.

The map has just been moved into graphics, and the first graphical update has been posted.

GuatemalaAuthor(s):jleonnnMap style: StandardMap size: SmallForum: GraphicsDevelopment status: This issue seems to be full of geographical maps. Jleonn, a first-time mapmaker, has done a good job getting his map into graphics workshop, with a small and simple map of Guatemala.

Gameplay is comparable to Luxembourg in many ways: a truly standard gameplay, with no additional features, simple bonus areas and few territories. Time will tell if this map can acquire the same popularity as Luxembourg or Doodle Earth, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did.

Napoleonic Europe is almost available for Beta play, and seems to be one of the most eagerly awaited maps in the foundry. It's not hard to imagine why when you look how much care and detail has been put into this map. Raskholnikov and Kabanellas have collaborated to make this one the most historically comprehensive map that it could be. Ender516 also worked on the XML. The map is won when you capture all the relevant capitals that Napoleon conquered. There are plenty of territorial bonuses as well as battle site bonuses that are activated when you take over a capital. But let's see what Kabanellas and Raskholnikov have to say about this.

The Bison King: How did this map come about, who came up with the idea first and how did it evolve from there?

Kabanellas: Rask came up with the idea of a Napoleonic map (not really sure what was the name/title by then), being this within a history time frame that interests me a lot I soon proposed to join and team up with him. From there we started the Napoleonic Europe 1812 project

Raskholnikov: Napoleon is generally considered as the greatest general of the modern era. He fundamentally changed the map of Europe and, despite his ultimate defeat, his imfluence is still felt today in the political, legal and military fields. I have always been fascinated by his career, his rise, his victories, his defeats. It seemed to me that Conquer Club fans would enjoy playing a historically accurate map of the Napoleonic Saga, as historically accurate as possible, illustrating some of his most famous naval and military battles, from the beginning of his career to the end.

The concept of the gameplay was very simple: a standard gameplay, with bonuses given for 20 land and 8 naval battles, spread out all over the map of Europe and the Middle East, illustrating all phases of Napoleon's career. I chose as background the map of Europe in 1812, which represented Napoleon's domination of the Old Continent at its height.

Since I have little or no skills with the graphic software, I posted my very basic draft on the forum and asked for help. Kabanellas volunteered - and the rest is history. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship....

The Bison King: How long has this map been in the making, since the idea was first conceived?

Kabanellas: We did a lot of talking and trimming before doing our first post on the Napoleonic Europe 1812, which was on 09 Oct 2009.

Raskholnikov: Kab, the.killing.44 (who also joined the project) and I began working on various drafts. Due to artistic differences, the.killing.44 left the project. Kab and I continued drafting some 20-odd versions of the map before settling on a version we felt confident to post in the Foundry.

The Bison King: It looks like you've spent a lot of time on the details of this map, how much research did you put into it?

Raskholnikov: Actually, I am very familiar with Napoleon's career and his battles. I spent some time in selecting those battles which were both the most important and would balance out on the map in terms of bonus opportunities. I was less familiar with the naval battles, so I spent somewhat more time on them.

The Bison King: What are some ways in which you made the gameplay of the map reflect the Napoleonic wars?

Raskholnikov: The most important part was managing to design a map that reflected as accurately as possible Napoleon's Europe and the balance of forces between the powers of that age. Kab had a critical influence on gameplay in many ways:

a. he designed the system of flexible expansion of powers: from France to Empire, of course, but also the ability to enlarge Prussian, Austrian and Ottoman bonuses.

b. fundamentally, he came up with the idea that only players controlling a capital would benefit of battle bonuses. This really transformed the game from one that could have been similar to Europe 1914, to a game in which the player controlling a capital will, in effect, have a great incentive to consolidate the Power whose capital he / she controls and expand it. Hopefully, this means that the game will consolidate, in its middle phase, in a contest between actual Powers rather than just an amalgam of territories spread out all over the map fighting similar other inchoate groupings.

c. he came up with the idea of the Russian Winter, to illustrate the historical difficulties of the Russian campaign, which ultimately led to Napoleon's fall.

d. he worked out neutrals counts for various territories so as to avoid both lucky drops and encourage players to attack neutral territories rather than just avoid them.

e. he came up with the idea of illustrating each capital with the coat of arms of the Reigning House, giving the map a unique look.

The Bison King: The map is visually very impressive, what technique did you use to achieve the final visual?

Kabanellas: I use Adobe Fireworks CS3 on all my maps and occasionally Photoshop CS2, then I test a lot of stuff..... and more stuff over a lot of stuff

The Bison King: What can you tell us about Napoleon himself? Surely in your efforts to make this map you learned a lot about the man. Do you think he was a hero? a fool? or simply misunderstood?

Kabanellas: Rask is the man to answer this one I think. But I can leave my opinion: Napoleon was a military genius with undeniable capabilities and vision, and a great legislator with his Napoleonic Code - the base of the modern legal code adopted by many European countries in the post-Napoleonic era.

Rasknholnikov: No single historical character has had more books written about his life, or has been more cotnroversial, than Napoleon. Anyone who visits Paris is bound to enter the Palais des Invalides, and bow his head before the red granite tomb of the Empereur. Anyone who visits London, entering the country by train, though Waterloo Station, will visit both Trafalgar Square dominated by Nelson's Column, as well as Wellington's Arch. Napoleon revolutionised military strategy, spread the ideas of the French Revolution - Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite - across Europe, encouraged a renewed interest in ancient history (the Rosette stone and decyhpering hyelogliphs are a direct result from his Campagne d'Orient), and set up the foundations of the modern nation-state, and in particular their legal system, with his famous Code Napoleon, which served as model to many countries around the world. Yet his hubris cannot be overlooked; he sacrificed hundreds of thousands of soldiers to his vainglorious dreams of a Europe united by the power of French arms -led by him. Unwittingly, his decision to sell the Louisiana Territories to the young American Republic allowed the US to begin its expansion across North America, and find its "Manifest Destiny". Finally, his great battles - Rivoli, Marengo, Lodi, Austerlitz, Wagream, Eylau, Friedland, as well as his epic defeats - Leipzig, the Russian debacle, Waterloo- continue to fascinate all students of history and of warfare, young and old. Whether for good or ill, Le Petit Caporal gave his name to his age, defined it, transformed it - and set the foundations of the world we still live in.

The Bison King: Do you guys have any plans to collaborate in the future, or do you have individual ideas you wish to pursue?

Kabanellas: I have a map going on in the foundry at the moment : The King's Court. And we'll see after that....

Raskholnikov: Working with Kab was an amazing experience. He is the consummate professional, has an angelic patience (both with me and the Foundry boys) and, above all, has become a good friend. I would love to work with him again on a fun project.

This was a map that was both very fun and very difficult to do. There's a lot small details and particularities that were taken to some extremes here. But I think that in the end it all resulted very well and I'm completely sure that this will be a fun and enjoyable map to play.

In this new series we pick a game mechanic, such as "one way borders", and show you how mapmakers have used that mechanic in creative or unique ways. If you find a mechanic particularly fun or interesting you can use the Map Info Database to find other maps with the same mechanic. Who knows you may find a new favorite.

In this installment we are looking at "killer neutrals". A killer neutral territory is one that will revert to its original neutral value when you begin your turn. Note that killer neutrals will only reset when controlled by a player, if attacked and not conquered they will stay at the new value until conquered by a player.

Arms Race! - This map appeared in a previous Under The Hood where we showed how the use of one way borders simulated the fueling of a nuclear missile. This map also features killer neutral territories to simulate the launch of either of the two nuclear missiles. These territories reset to 15 neutral.

The Citadel - This map depicts a military college's campus and utilizes killer neutrals in a single central territory, The Parade Deck, that separates several sections of the map. It is a strategic territory that helps slow progress across the map but still provides a crucial role in balancing the map. This territory resets to 5 neutral.

Eastern Hemisphere - Another wonderful map by oaktown depicting the Eastern Hemisphere at the beginning of the 20th century. This map utilizes the killer neutral territory mechanic to represent naval superiority and provides players a way to bombard territories across the map. This territory resets to 4 neutral.

13 Colonies - Set during the American War of Independence, this map features the 13 American Colonies with the borders as they were in 1776. Killer neutrals represent Shawnee and Algonquin tribes but while they grant swift passage allowing you to flank your enemies they also kill any troops left behind. These territories resets to 2 neutral.

Das Schloß - Still in Beta, Das Schloß is a complex map was developed from a fictional WWII story. Six territories on this map utilize killer neutral game mechanics. The first is the “Access Point”, a choke point on the map that represents an entry to a building that paratroopers must assault. The next is the “AA” which may be used to bombard the paratrooper locations. There are two “Landplatz”, territories that represent landing pads that can assault helicopters “Hubschrauber” which in turn can bombard otherwise unreachable player starting territories. Access Point resets to 2 neutral, AA to 5, Landplatz to 14 and Hubschrauber to 60.

Monster! Battle for the Powerstones - Still in beta. This map depicts a fantasy battle between wizards. Killer neutrals are used to represent magical shields that protect the wizards as well as the mind blast spell that the wizard can use to control susceptible monsters around the map. Mind blast resets to 3 and shields reset to 8 neutral.

While the six maps above are the only ones that are returned on a search of the map database there are no doubt others that feature the killer neutral mechanic that we have missed. Feel free to tell us about your favorite map that features Killer Neutrals.

Hello cairnswk. Who is cairnswk?Somebody who lives in Cairns FNQ and whose initials are WK. Age unimportant although "ancient", I have worked for many years in several fields and never got a Uni degree, and so have finally decided to do something about that. Yes I was someone with a lot of time on my hands to produce all those maps, but this has now changed and that spare time is being eroded by Uni studies.

After only two weeks since you've joined clubs to conquer you posted your first map. Looking back to that day, what were your feelings?It was an opportunity that i saw. I knew i had the creative skills and software, and had played Risk several times previously. So this was the opportunity to put my region - Cairns Coral Coast - into this scenario, and get it 'on the map' so-to-speak. I was excited, and knew i'd feel wonderful if it could be pulled off. I also knew that everyone who played the map would be educated about the region, if this was done correctly.

What convinced you to post the map?The fact that the geography of the region had a river system and mountains that would combine to create a layout that was suitable for a "good Risk game"; and it did come together like that.

How was your first experience in the foundry?It was educational to say the least.

I beleived from that first map-making experience, and still do, that CC has the best editing process in the world (if it is done correctly): many eyes pondering over the work to correct errors that people make. And I, as a person, am not excluded from this club.

There were some great suggestions for the Cairns Coral Coast map. Samus, Dim, Wisse, Ruben Cassar, Enigma, Gozar, Spinwizard were some members who were largely also repsonbsible for getting this map alive, and educating me to this editing process. I do also recall that Keyogi (moderator at the time) and his side-kick (from the sidelines) Teya, did not see the value in this map, and there were some real "barneys" over it. Qwert joined in the action. Andy Dufresne stepped in, and it was 'on for young and old'. But we got there in the end.

What is your favourite map on CC?I don't really have one. There are several that i play a lot when compared to others that i have or have not played. There are many that are graphically excellent, but they are all unique in their own manner: you see it's all about creativity.

In your opinion, what is your best map? Why?Once again, i don't really have one. Each one is an individual piece of work; a project if you like. Some have better aspects than others, some i would probably do differently if I had the skills all over again.

And what is your worst map? Why?I don't have one. Once again, all different pieces of work.

Waterloo is considered by many one of the best maps on the site, what makes it such a good map?Oh, I sometimes wonder about that. For that opinion you'd best ask those who make that observation. But i think it is no lesser or greater work than Dim's or other's work. If i really had to put my finger on two aspects, it would be that it captures one of the final stages of the battle so well, and uses the cavalry to assault two spaces hence.

DasSchloss, Stalingrad and Cricket will be your last quenched maps, what made you say: "It's enough" ?Foundry politics, the map-making process was no longer fun as it was supposed to be, and creative time ran out when real live considerations took over. I know that all good things come to an end and if you look back over them, the good times always outweigh the bad.

While the foundry can be the best editing process, there are too many people who don't share the same creativity vision that i do about my maps, and want to play "God" with them. One cannot please the masses all of the time.

Talking a bit more about the foundry, what is changed in these 3 years? The foundry is better or worse?Oh, some processes have been refined for the better, more stages to get through to be stamped, and that is good. It's called quality control, although even with volunteers, that still goes awray.I like the way that many folk try to better the process, and think outside the square for new tools and maps etc. And there are many more ideas/maps that can be applied to this process.

There are other aspects that still haven't changed. Mods for instance, arriving late with comment in a project timeline. I used to look up to the mods for their suggestions, but they became tardy with their time-management, and that annoyed the heck out of me. And of course, you'll never take the creative passion out of an artist, so the foundry will always have a degree of volatility when debate rages over something or other.

Imagine yourself again in blue. What would be the 3 most important things on your to do list?Well, in those days, i was never in blue; that didn't enter the site design until sometime after i stood-down.* I still don't think that the best use is made of the navigation around the foundry, so an improvement there would be good.* Better timeliness for comment on maps from myself. While it is a volunteer process, a role in leadership always requires stronger work ethic.* Get lackattack to contribute with an overall vision statement.

Developing 28 maps requires tons of time and an incredible effort, honestly: it was worth it?Oh hell yes. While some of my work is better than others, it's the skills that one develops, and the passion that goes into creative projects like these maps. I am immensely proud of what i've achieved for those who want to play the maps I've produced.

Do you have any suggestions for one who is going to develop his first map?1. Have patience - Rome definitely was not built in a day.2. Develop a think skin.3. Be prepared to debate your arguments4. Don't be afraid of calling it like it is.5. Give people 95% of what they want, but keep the other 5% for yourself. It is afterall your map.

What plans do you have for the future? There are hundreds more ideas that i've run over in my head that would be good for CC. I would have really liked to have finished the Gallipoli map, but that is in hand, and the World Cities 12 pack. But all those ideas can be taken up by others if they want.

Perhaps one-day I will return again, after studies are completed.And i need to learn to use Photoshop.We'll see.....

Thank you for your time cairnswk!

This week we introduce a new column: State of Play looks at some of the many and excellent challenges going on between the clans. And we introduce our new reporter pmchugh. We look at the cows and the robots as they line up for the Cup semi-finals. We find out if The Legion's new communications director has any time left for his old chums in the newsletter. And a drunken sot of a pirate shares his thoughts about RUM clan wars.

Two of the most active clans in CC history, with a combined 27 challenges, have provided what has certainly been an interesting clan challenge. It appeared to be a rather different story in the begining as it looked to be rather one sided and far from being an intriguing battle. The Legion shot off to a 10-0 lead and seemed to be cruising to an easy victory with many people shocked and already congratulating them on their success. The lead continued and was maintained at around 10 games - after 25 games Legion were still up 17-8. Then the Sheep dug deep and started on the road to making a miraculous recovery. They took 7 of the next 9 games to bring themselves to just 4 behind. They continued to push and as the challenge neared the business end it was up for grabs for either team.

The current scoreline at the time of writing is 38-34 to Legion and it looks like they may have enough to cross the finish line and take the victory. What looked like a blow out turned into an intense battle but despite the best efforts of BSS it appears The Legion have proven their character once more and came out on top.

Grim Reapers and Death By Comity are two well-established clans with good records so it was good to see them go head to head. Here's the story of the challenge in their own words, plus thoughts on names and what's next.

denominator, DBC wrote:The challenge was actually much closer than it appeared to finish - GR played really well in some key moments in a number of games and stole them right from under us. In the first set of games, each clan went 1-4 on their own maps, so it was even going into the second round. Then the Reapers stole a whole pile of games on both maps for the challenge win.

As for the DBC name, I know it had something to do with along the lines of being a pun on committee, but comity by definition is a group of friends, so Death By Comity works on numerous levels. Most people just notice the misspelling on committee and miss the true brilliance of Comity.

jrh_cardinal, Grim Reapers wrote:The challenge went great! We had gone through big changes in our roster since our last clan war, and it was awesome to see all of the new members succeeding in clan competition. DBC played very well, it was a very evenly matched challenge. We split the first set of games 5-5, and many of the games in the second set were close as well. We were able to pull off a few key road victories in the second set to secure the challenge, but it could have gone either way.

Next, we're looking for more competition! We're planning on starting a new clan war very soon, basically as soon as we find another clan to play against. We're hoping to turn our hard-earned victory into even more success

And here are some of the reasons that The Odd Fellows Union are unbeatable in the semis:

Velvecarrots - current score 4443, current rank 4thChariot of Fire - made general June 2010, MVP TLO Jpeter15 - in 2010 reached near 3500 points from under 1000 gamesDako - Brigadier, gained over 500 points in two months from Feb 2010.

So what happens when the dead certs go up against the unbeatables? Neither of these clans are much more than a year old and they've both got fine records. TOFU are unbeaten, having worked their way up through League Division 2 and victories over progressively higher ranked clans. KoRT are the ones who have experience of taking down a big name - Empire, 3rd seeds, who they beat in the Cup quarter finals.

There's no doubt that KoRT have the class to give anyone a game, and ambition too. They've got the players, and there's something really attractive about their style: they play great but it's not all about winning, there's the fun to be had in playing, and - shhhhhhh - even in life outside CC. From the beginning they have been a group of friends who like to play together. They like to make their sigs and write their scripts and busy round the CC forums and do, well, whatever cows do. Just they are cows who are rather good at playing CC too.

When it comes to playing TOFU, though, all bets are off. Newsletter reporter Dai_atan describes TOFU's style as "high pressure intensity". There's never a turn that's played soft, never a winning chance that goes without being analysed, never a game that they give up on before its last gasp. Not many TOFU players were well-known a year ago, now a lot of names jump out when you scan a tourney list or a game lineup for the quality of your opposition. It's a clan with the singular honour of having been given their nickname by outsiders. “Robots” is a testimony to their style of play as much as anything else. Watching these guys you see not so much ambition as an oathbound commitment to achieve perfection in gameplay. To everyone who accuses them of being jumped-up or boastful they say: we are as good as our win record, no more, no less.

It might have been enough a while ago to have some great players, turn up and go, but it takes more discipline than that now to win a battle between big clans. So can KoRT marshal their efforts, focus their skills to the level required? Or will TOFU's winning habits be enough, with their motor in gear will they just keep running over any bumps in the road?

Incandenza was the first to call it: TOFU, he said, 36-24. And that would agree with the consensus of clan leaders who seeded TOFU 2nd and KoRT 7th for this competition. The other semi-final between THOTA and LoW will follow shortly, but for now get down to this one's thread, make your call, gee up your team: C.C. TOFU vs KoRT [Pre-match chat][0 of 60]

Greetings from the "planning" room on The Fat Mermaid aka the bar for those not familiar with the layout of the greatest vessel afloat.

Taking a quick moment away from the war desk where I'm attempting to plan the complete destruction of The Imperial Dragoons in a clan war which will start tomorrow. Just thought I would jot down a few thoughts on Clan Wars, and the direction they seem to be heading in. Hard work, as I have a bottle of RUM staring at me with temptation written all over it.

Have had the dubious pleasure of running a few clan wars, managed to screw the first one up pretty badly - KoRT got an easy win out of that. Combination of newly established clan, and disorganized newbie clan leader. I was less popular than the incontinent drunken ship's monkey for a while after that debacle. Clan Wars have changed a lot since that embarrassing time long, long ago.

Clan Wars are a lot of work, and now it seems that they will be even more onerous for the poor mugs running them. The current trend is to limit the amount of games each clan member can play. The impending war against The Imperial Dragoons, is the first clan war I've taken part in that has those conditions. We are limiting the games per clan member to 15. I think, well as much as I'm capable of thought with RUM in front of me.. I digress, I think the accepted wisdom on limiting the amount of games per clan member is to test the true depth of a clan. I remember a few Clan Wars where the usual suspects appeared in almost every game. By limiting the amount of games, it adds an extra dimension to planning. Player A is really good at this map we have just been sent, but player A has already been used 6 times in home games, and its only round 1, can I afford to put him/her in that game, I should I save him/her for later? Should be quite challenging, we have a solid roster of scurvy dogs and wenches in the pirates, but see how it could be quite difficult for smaller clans, or clans with a lot of members that their main reason for being in a clan is for the social fix. I've been doing my research before challenging clans, and have noticed that there are quite a few clans out there stacked to the rafters with players that don't play many if any team games.

I have a very personal interest in winning this Clan War, as have agreed to let Bruceswar give me a new sig for 2 weeks if we lose. So losing is not an option! Any interested readers please post pictures that I could use for Bruceswar avatars in thread

Another thing that has been suggested for Clan Wars and I'm sure Clan/War Leaders will start implementing soon is making the challenge an uneven number, say 61 games. With the 61st game being on an agreed upon neutral map (current thinking is classic trips, ns, chained, sunny/foggy). Making the 61st game a neutral map is intended to deny each clan a "home map" advantage. Playing an uneven number of games is a great idea, ensuring that the Clan War will not end as a tie.

All Random Challenges have also been suggested, though talking to other players that have been around for a while there isn't that much support for the idea. The supporters point out that all random reduces the "map expert" advantage and shows the true class of a player... I don't like the idea, ending up with a Hive, adj, ns, foggy quads. Or a doodle unlimited forts, would be a nightmare. If there was a way to remove some maps from the list and then hit the random button, I would then have the stones to give it a go. Though my clan would probably make me walk the plank.

One of the most contentious things about Clan Wars is that there is no generally accepted Clan ranking system out there. A lot of different ideas have been tried. Ladders, power rankings etc. Its a bit of a thorny issue with every clan leader wishing to have a bench mark that fits close to their clan's strengths. Currently Clan Wars are played mainly for bragging rights, there is a record kept of how clans go, and Clan Wars can be used in a small way to judge the relative strengths of different clans. For example if both Clan A, and Clan B beat Clan C in a clan war. One could make the assumption that Clan A is a stronger clan if they beat Clan C by a larger margin than Clan B did. Clan Rankings is a large enough issue for another article. jpcloet is doing a lot of work on addressing some clan issues/giving more options to clans, and the players in them. Thanks jp for all your hard work. Now, The RUM bottle is calling my name. Yo Ho Ho

12:17:31 ‹Pixar› im gonna be fappin to that all night long10:59:12 ‹rhp 1› holy hell... that did it.. I pissed myself15:15:52 ‹Ace Rimmer› Sackett58, I think I may get some action this weekend15:16:05 ‹Sackett58› Right hand or left Ace?

<Qwert joined in the action>I dont understand, i whas very off from these development.One thing what poke eyes right from begining, how Keyogi and Teya whas big pain in ass , i dont understand how you manage to stay calm(probably big doses of sedatives?)Well that whas a days,every day strugle for your idea.

qwert wrote:<Qwert joined in the action>I dont understand, i whas very off from these development.One thing what poke eyes right from begining, how Keyogi and Teya whas big pain in ass , i dont understand how you manage to stay calm(probably big doses of sedatives?)Well that whas a days,every day strugle for your idea.

I think what was meant is you joined in on the conversation offering up your ideas.